'I ditched my 'horrific' McDonald's order to lose 5 stone in 12 months'
'I ditched my 'horrific' McDonald's order to lose 5 stone in 12 months'
Kieren, who weighed 22.5stone, has detailed the meal he would always order from McDonald's and describes it as 'madness'
Kieren before his weight loss a year ago
A 33-year-old dad who ballooned to 22.5 stone after lockdown thanks to a regular triple Greggs lunch and an 'horrific' McDonald's order has lost five stone in 12 months. Kieren Medcraft, 33, from Bristol said his diet was so bad he always felt sick in the morning - and skipped breakfast.
But he made up for it with takeaway orders for lunch and dinner. Kieren said: 'I had been struggling with my mental health and gained an alarming amount of weight over lockdown and it just kept increasing, at my heaviest I hit 22 and a half stone. At the time I had no real drive to sort myself out.
'I would always skip breakfast, I would feel sick in the mornings and could never face eating. Then my lunch would usually involve a trip to Greggs, where my order would be a Mexican chicken baguette, chicken bites with barbecue sauce and a sausage roll.
Kieren before and after his weight loss
'Dinner would normally be pretty standard, spaghetti bolognese, shepherds pie or pork belly. This, however, got derailed most weeks with a takeaway, meal out or trip to McDonald's. Looking back, my typical McDonald's order used to be horrific. I'd have a large burger meal (Big Tasty or something) a chicken sandwich, a cheese burger, a portion of whatever cheese thing they did and sometimes a wrap of the day too. In hindsight it was just madness.
'The single biggest 'lightbulb' moment, was becoming a dad. I wanted to be fitter and healthier so that I could play with my daughter and be a positive role model to her. I tried a number of different diets and exercise plans, but quickly gave up on them until MAN v FAT Football showed up on my social feed."
Article continues below
In April 2024, Kieren signed up for MAN v FAT Football's Bristol Central club, which meets every Thursday night, with the objective of helping overweight and obese men from the area to reduce their weight to a healthy level.
Designed for men with a BMI of above 27.5, at MAN v FAT Football sessions, players are weighed, before battling it out on the pitch in five-a-side matches.
The results in games are then combined with a player's individual weight loss throughout a week. These individual weight loss scores and the results on the pitch contribute to a team's position in a club's overall league table, with winning teams and players celebrated at the end of a 14-week season.
In addition to football sessions, MAN v FAT players receive off-the-pitch support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness. Players also get free access to a bespoke mental health platform.
Kieren says he now walks and runs for fun
Kieren said: 'I honestly cannot sing MAN v FAT's praises enough. All my friends are probably sick of me hearing about it. However, the praise from them as they see the sheer amount of weight I have lost keeps me talking about it even more.
'So many of my friends or acquaintances ask how I've did it. They don't believe me when I say, I play football with a bunch of like-minded lads who all have the same goal in mind. They think there has to be more to it. And I just explain, the football is good exercise, the diet help is there, but for me, the biggest thing that keeps me going is the support network surrounding MAN v FAT.
'No-one patronises. No-one judges. Everyone picks you up if you have a bad week etc. Hitting a percentage is celebrated but the whole club, making you truly feel like you've accomplished something great, which you have! I've met some absolutely incredible lads here at MAN v FAT and I love every minute of being a part of it, as well as reducing my weight to 17 and a half stone.
'As mentioned before, I had a really bad mental health break previous to joining MAN v FAT. Since joining I have to say I am the happiest I've been in a really long time. With some gentle encouragement from teammates, I've done things I didn't think I'd ever be able to do again.
'I run a 5k park run every Saturday - I never thought I'd be saying that a year ago. Got my time down to below 40mins too which for me is massive.
Kieren says he has never felt better
'I have been on hikes, walked from Nailsea to Bristol and back just for fun, completed four waterfalls in Wales and step challenges left right and centre. Walking was even a struggle for me before joining, now I walk everywhere.
'The biggest challenge for me, was seeing my friends out for a beer or two and choosing to be on diet cokes or maybe allowing a gin and tonic. I have not really found it too difficult food wise, other than starting to accurately track what I'm eating and calories I'm putting in weighed up against the amount I need to consume to remain in a deficit.
'They have all been so incredibly supportive. My friends can't believe it. Especially the ones that live in Brighton that I don't see as often. When I go back to see them and I've lost more each time there are a few shocked words with some expletives added in for good measure! I have had so many friends and acquaintances tell me I look like a different person. Many often saying I've inspired them to lose weight and ask how I did it.
Kieren says becoming a father was his 'lightbulb' moment
'My wife couldn't be happier, as I can finally go out on walks and trips to and from places without complaining or being out of breath. I actually want to go out and be active, when before I just wanted to stay in and watch TV or play games. My mum and dad are equally shocked by how much I've lost and my mum tells me all the time how good I look (but she has to say that.)
'Having a reason to lose weight can work for some as a motivator but, and it's a cliché, you have to do it for yourself! Set small realistic goals for yourself with a larger one in sight.
'Find out how many calories you need to consume to lose weight and then track everything you eat and drink. Even the smallest things. Hold yourself accountable! Don't skip on adding things as it "looks bad" add it all, you're only cheating yourself at the end of the day.
Article continues below
'Find an exercise you actually enjoy. Don't just exercise to lose weight. You're so much more likely to give up on exercise all together if you hate it.
'I cannot describe how much better my life is, and how much better I feel both mentally and physically since losing the weight.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
I didn't realise my food addiction was a symptom of ADHD
'What's for dinner? How many calories are in that cookie? I've already blown the diet today so I may as well have ice cream…' For as long as I can remember, I've always been consumed by thoughts about food. As a child, we didn't have family meals around a table, so I would pick up chippy teas on my way home from school or sit in my bedroom with a McDonald's. I did a lot of secret eating, hiding the wrappers of sweets, crisps and chocolate at the bottom of the rubbish bin. Food became like a comfort. If I was sad, or lonely, or stressed, I ate. It was like euphoria and a rush of endorphins in the moment, but soon after it would turn to guilt. I had no idea that this buzz was a giveaway for ADHD – it'd be more than a decade before I found out. By the time I moved in with my partner Dan when I was 21, food had become an obsession. Whenever I wasn't eating I was thinking of my next meal – but then as soon as I'd eaten, the guilt and regret would set in. During my pregnancy with our daughter Esmae in 2021 I put on 6st, ordering deliveries of donuts from Greggs and KFC buckets. On the day I gave birth, I weighed 22st – then instead of losing weight, I put on another three stone in the following months, using food as a distraction from the pressures of being a young first-time mum. Whenever something stressful happened, I turned to food for comfort – but it made me feel so ashamed. At my heaviest, I tipped the scales at 25st. I felt so ashamed of myself, and when I was out and about, I felt like other people were judging me. I especially hated eating in public because I felt like everyone was watching me. I knew my weight wasn't healthy, but the constant food noise made dieting impossible. One slip-up would send me straight back into a vicious cycle of bingeing because I told myself the diet was 'ruined' anyway. I ate with my head, rather than my stomach, which meant I never felt full. I could munch my way through a large pizza, curly fries, then chase that with eight pancakes and chocolate sauce. I knew I needed to do something drastic to take control over my obsessive thoughts about food, so in May 2023, I flew to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery. I hoped it would create a physical barrier to stop me overeating, because my mind had no barrier. On the day of my operation, I weighed 23st 6lbs and was a dress size 26-28. The sleeve removed 85% of my stomach, so there just wasn't enough room to eat the volume of food I'd been used to. I soon learned that if I overate, I was sick. Over the following year, I lost an incredible 12st. Most people would have been over the moon to slide into a pair of size 10 jeans, but I realised I wasn't any happier. Without the constant distraction of planning my next meal 24/7, other worries crowded in. As I turned down the volume on food noise, all my other thoughts were amplified. I was flooded by anxieties and obsessions. I was thinking a thousand things at once, from my plans in the next few days to work, family, and chores. Even the simplest household tasks, like hanging the washing out, became overwhelming. I had brain fog, was forgetful, and felt exhausted because my mind was never quiet. I struggled to pay attention to Dan, missed appointments, overslept, and found decision-making impossible. I was constantly online shopping too; anything to occupy my thoughts. I knew I needed help addressing this, so in November 2023, I saw my GP, and after an initial assessment, I was referred to a psychologist, who diagnosed me with ADHD in May 2024. I discovered that in some cases, ADHD can be linked to dopamine deficiency, meaning that people with the condition can obsess over things that give them a short-term high. For me, that had always been the buzz when I ate – until the gastric sleeve killed my appetite. Receiving the diagnosis gave me a massive sense of relief. I stopped criticising myself because I finally had a reason for why I am the way I am. I was started on a type of medication called Atomoxetine, which works by increasing a brain chemical called noradrenaline, which helps improve concentration and controls impulsive thoughts. My erratic mind calmed within a few days, and I was able to be more present for Esmae and Dan. I work night shifts as a healthcare support worker in an NHS hospital, and before my diagnosis, I couldn't get through a shift without 10 cups of coffee. At home, a basketful of washing could literally send me into meltdown, hyperventilating and unable to start the task without Dan's help. Now when I step out of my front door, I don't feel overwhelmed by all the thoughts crashing around inside my head. I feel like I'm seeing life through different eyes. I only have four cups of coffee per shift at the hospital, and I can tackle my laundry without feeling overwhelmed. I know there have been a lot of mixed opinions expressed on the number of adults receiving an ADHD diagnosis – but for me, it's been life-changing. Weight loss surgery was just the beginning of my journey of self-discovery. Now my mental, physical, and emotional health have all changed for the better. Looking back, I can see that a lifetime of undiagnosed ADHD led to my emotional eating spiral. Once you can no longer self-medicate with food, you have to look at what's going on up in that brain. More Trending Overweight people are often stigmatised 'for just being fat and lazy', but there are all kinds of different reasons why people develop negative relationships with food. I feel like life would have been a lot brighter if I'd been diagnosed at a younger age. I would have been kinder to myself and more accepting. Now I feel like I'm able to move forward to my next chapter at peace with myself. View More » As told to Jade Beecroft Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: I wrote 'I'm terrified' on my back to stop drivers intimidating me MORE: My date was a terrible kisser – but that wasn't the worst part MORE: I discovered my parents' secret aged 8 – I kept it until 16 Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
NBC News
2 days ago
- NBC News
How RFK Jr. is quickly changing U.S. health agencies
WASHINGTON — In just a few short months, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has begun to transform U.S. health policy: shrinking staff at health agencies, restructuring the focus of some regulators and researchers, changing Covid vaccine regulations and reshaping the mission of his department to focus more on alternative medicine. The directives are all part of the same issue set that drove a slice of health-conscious, left-leaning Americans to eventually vote for a Republican president whose favorite meal is from McDonald's, Trump and Kennedy catered to a type of voter who has grown distrustful of America's health care establishment — but possibly fomented a new type of distrust in federal health policy along the way. Bernadine Francis, a lifelong Democrat who backed Joe Biden for president in 2020 before supporting Donald Trump in 2024, told NBC News in an interview that she approves of Kennedy's efforts so far, despite his 'hands being tied' by entrenched forces in the administration and in Congress. 'From what I have seen so far with what RFK has been trying to do,' she said, 'I am really, really proud of what he's doing.' Francis is among the voters who left the Democratic Party and voted for Trump because 'nothing else mattered' apart from public health, which they — like Kennedy — felt was going in the wrong direction. Concerns about chemicals in food and toxins in the environment, long championed by Democrats, has become a galvanizing issue to a key portion of Trump's Republican Party, complete with an oversaturation of information that in some cases hasn't been proven. It's wrapped up, as well, in concerns about the Covid vaccine, which was accelerated under Trump, administered under Biden and weaponized by anti-vaccine activists like Kennedy amid lockdowns and firings in the wake of the devastating pandemic. 'We knew in order to get RFK in there so he can help with the situation that we have in the health industry, we knew we had to do this,' said Francis, a retired Washington, D.C., public school administrator, who said she left her 'beloved' career because she had refused the vaccine. 'It seemed to me, as soon as [Biden] became president, the vaccine was mandated, and that was when I lost all hope in the Democrats,' Francis told NBC News, referring to vaccination mandates put in place by the Biden administration for a large portion of the federal workforce during the height of the pandemic. There are not currently any federal Covid vaccine mandates. There have been 1,228,393 confirmed Covid deaths in the United States since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How RFK Jr.'s picks are changing public health agencies Dr. Marty Makary, Kennedy's hand-picked commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and a John Hopkins scientist and researcher, told NBC News in an interview that he wants to transform the agency, which he said faced 'corruption' over influence from the pharmaceutical and food industries. 'I mean, you look at the food pyramid, it was not based on what's best for you, it was based on what companies wanted you to buy,' he said, referring to the 1992 and later iterations of official government nutritional guidance. He said there would be 'entirely new nutrition guidance' released later this year, as soon as this summer. He praised the FDA's mission of research and regulation, saying the agency is 'incredibly well-oiled, and we've got the trains running on time.' He also highlighted the 75-page 'Make America Healthy Again' commission report — which focused on ultraprocessed foods and toxins in the environment — as having set 'the agenda for research' at the FDA, HHS and agencies overseeing social safety net programs such as Medicare and food stamps moving forward. (The MAHA report initially cited some studies that didn't exist, a mistake that Kennedy adviser Calley Means said was a 'great disservice' to their mission.) 'I think there's a lot we're going to learn. For example, the microbiome, which gets attention in the MAHA report, needs to be on the map. We don't even talk about it in our medical circles,' Makary said. 'The microbiome, food is medicine, the immune response that happens when chemicals that don't appear in nature go down our GI tract.' Pressed on other areas of the administration, like the Environmental Protection Agency, making decisions that run counter to the pro-regulatory ideas presented in the MAHA report, Makary said he can 'only comment on the FDA' where they are 'committed to Secretary Kennedy's vision.' But Kennedy's public health agenda goes beyond looking at the food supply and chemicals. Recently, Kennedy said in a video posted on X last month that the Covid vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a change in CDC guidance that skipped the normal public review period. Days later, after critics questioned the decision and raised concerns over a lack of public data behind the move, the administration updated its guidance again, urging parents to consult with their doctors instead. Pressed about the confusion and whether Americans are now trading one side of public distrust in the health system for another, Makary defended Kennedy, who has been criticized for spreading misinformation. 'My experience with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is that he listens. He listens to myself, he listens to Jay Bhattacharya, listens to Dr. Mehmet Oz, he listens to a host of scientists that are giving him guidance,' Makary argued, referring to the director of the National Institutes of Health and the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, respectively. 'So he may have big questions, but the questions he's asking are the questions most Americans are asking.' The intersection of medicine and healthy lifestyle choices Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a breast cancer oncologist and integrative medicine doctor — a physician who combines conventional treatments with research-based alternative therapies — has tried to help her patients wade through medical misinformation they encounter online and in their social circles. Mussallem has an incredible story of personal survival: While in medical school, she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and, after conventional therapies like chemo saved her life, was diagnosed with heart failure. After undergoing a heart transplant, Mussallem ran a 26-mile marathon just one year later. 'I learned a lot in medical school, but nothing compared to what I learned being a patient,' said Mussallem, who dedicates, on average, 90 minutes each in one-on-one sessions with her patients. 'This is not about any one political choice. But we know lifestyle matters.' For example, a new study from the American Society of Clinical Oncology that finds eating food that lowers inflammation in the body may help people with advanced colon cancer survive longer. Mussallem's mission, along with her colleagues, is to elevate the modern medicine that saved her life, as well as encouraging her patients to live healthy lifestyles, including regular exercise, minimally processed foods, less screen time, more social connection and better sleep. But politics do get in the way for millions of Americans who are inundated daily with social media influencers and 'nonmedical experts,' as Mussallem puts it, who stoke fear in her patients. 'Patients come in with all these questions, fears,' she said. 'I've heard this many times from patients, that their nervous system is affected by what they're seeing happening in government.' Mussallem acknowledges that 'a lot of individuals out there' have questioned traditional medicine. For her, it isn't one or the other — it's both. 'We have to trust the conventional medicine,' she said. 'With the conventional care that marches right alongside more of an integrative modality to look at the root causes of disease, as well as to help to optimize with lifestyle, is where we need to be.'
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Fat jabs left me in agony – it hurt to even put a bra on but it was worth it to be thin & lose a stone in 4 weeks
Megan Houchen says the 'life-changing' jabs stopped her driving to McDonald's at midnight... but there was a price to pay BEAUTY IS PAIN Fat jabs left me in agony – it hurt to even put a bra on but it was worth it to be thin & lose a stone in 4 weeks Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BLINKING her eyes open, Megan Houchen felt like she had been hit by a bus - every bone in her body ached. But the 25-year-old hadn't been in a terrible accident - nor did she have one too many the night before - her agonising symptoms were all in the name of losing weight. 6 Megan Houchan woke up feeling like she had been 'hit by a bus' after taking Mounjaro Credit: Jam Press 6 She says she started taking the drug after years of unhealthy eating took its toll. Seen before Credit: Jam Press 6 Megan says the side effects were worth it and has since gone from 11 stone down to 10 and loves her new body Credit: Jam Press The customer service worker says she was hit with flu-like symptoms the day after she started on weight-loss jabs. The 25-year-old began taking Mounjaro last month after struggling to reign in her comfort eating, which saw her weight go up to 11st – overweight for her 5ft 1ins frame with a BMI of 29.1. 'I woke up feeling like absolute rubbish,' Megan, from County Durham, says. 'I felt like I'd been hit by a bus. 'My shoulders and neck were so sore and felt bruised like I'd done some sort of hardcore workout.' Megan wondered if she was coming down with the flu, and noted her lack of appetite and soreness around her shoulders – saying it even hurt to put a bra on. She adds: 'I had never heard anyone on Mounjaro talk about those symptoms so, at first, I didn't think it was causing it.' It was only when Megan went on TikTok that she found other people reporting similar symptoms after taking the medication. Luckily, she began to feel better the following day – and Megan says the initial side effects were well worth the trouble, as she has gone on to drop a stone in just four weeks. Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons She says: 'My experience [since then] has been amazing. 'I know it's not the same for everyone but I've not really had any bad side effects [since the first day]. 'All of the food noise has gone – I don't really ever think about food or feel excited about food and it has suppressed my appetite a lot. 'I sometimes do miss my food a little because there's some days when I don't feel like eating a lot and then there's other days that I can manage three full meals. 'All in all my Mounjaro journey so far has been life-changing and the best decision I have ever made.' Megan started on Mounjaro after struggling with self-discipline and wanting to shed a few pounds. She says: "I had always been quite slim and ate what I wanted, and got in the mindset of 'I'm never going to put on weight because I've eaten what I wanted for ages'. "But about three years ago I noticed I was gaining more weight, and in the last year it all just caught up with me and I was the heaviest I'd ever been. 6 Megan, seen before, wanted to improve her figure before her holiday Credit: Jam Press 6 But she has dropped the excess weight since taking the fat jabs Credit: Jam Press "I would always have a takeaway or eat out Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then it started through the week – sometimes having a takeaway every night and sometimes even ordering takeaways for dinner at work. "It was becoming unhealthy. "My comfort foods would always be a takeaway – if I was sad, I'd always order to food to cheer me up, but afterwards I felt so bloated and looking in the mirror made me feel awful. "I'd even drive to McDonald's at midnight to get food if I couldn't sleep. I was dreading going on holiday and wearing a bikini but now I'm really looking forward to it because of the weight loss Megan Houchan 'I was struggling to lose that stubborn weight and I was struggling to keep myself disciplined. 'So, I started Mounjaro to get me out of all of those bad eating habits.' Megan says she was warned by her provider of the potential side effects, although she hadn't linked her symptoms the following day. And, with her symptoms quickly subsiding that same week, she has gone on to be thrilled with her results, dropping down to a healthier 10 stone. She added: 'I would definitely recommend it based on my experience. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. 'I recommended it to my dad and he has now started his journey and is going really well for him too. "Now, I feel more confident when I put outfits on to go out, and when taking photos." Megan says that her weight loss has had a positive impact on her mental health too. "I just feel much better in myself. "I was dreading going on holiday and wearing a bikini but now I'm really looking forward to it because of the weight loss. "I've had a lot of comments about it too. "People at work say they can really tell, on my face especially, and have said I look really well for it. "My family is always telling me that they can see such a difference. "My mum always comments on my weight loss and it makes me feel really good because some days I think 'Am I losing weight?' and sort of doubt myself – so it's nice to have reminders. "For other people to notice it makes me feel a lot more confident."
